A month of museum madness

So in preparation of my last month as a 25 year old I have decided to take full advantage of my youthful benefits and “en profitez” of all the museums I have access to for free for the next month. Lets be fair here, I've already visited most of the major museums here in Paris but there is something in me that just will never pay €6.80 to visit the “Museé D’art et d’histoire du judaisme”. Not that i might not enjoy it, but lets just say that just that it doesn't interest me enough. Actually that is not the worst of it, how about €8 for a trip to the Arc de Triomphe, I mean there isn't even an exhibition. unless you count the very entertaining traffic that circulates one of the most dangerous junctions in Europe.

Anyway, the one month left countdown has begun. So I have decided to visit the following 28 museums. I haven't worked out the exact days and timing of all of my visits, and I will have to factor in closing days and other such things. Anyway here is the complete list of what I hope to visit.

1. Arc de Triomphe*
2. Musée de l’armée – Tombea de Napoléon 1er
3. Centre Pompidou*
4. Musée national des Arts Asiatiques – Guimet
5. Les arts decoratifs
6. Musée des arts et Métiers*
7. Musée du quai branly*
8. Chapelle expiatoire
9. Conciergerie
10. Musée National delacroix
11. Museé D’art et d’histoire du judaisme
12. Musée du Louvre*
13. Musée national de la Marine
14. Cité de l’architecture et du patrimoine- Musée des monuments francais*
15. Musée gustave Moreau
16. Musée de cluny – Musée national du moyen age
17. Cité de la musique – Musée de la musique
18. Tours de Notre- Dame
19. Musée National de l’orangerie*
20. Musée de l’ordre de la libération
21. Musée d’orsay *
22. Panthéon*
23. Musée des plans- reliefs
24. L’adresse musée de la poste
25. Musée Rodin
26. Sainte Chapelle*
27. Villa Savoye*
28. Chateaux Versailles*

Okay so that brings it to a grand total of 28 museums, which while technically achievable is not very realistic considering things like sleeping in, hangovers, shopping and just life in general. Now there might be some hope as I have in fact already visited all the ones with this symbol *, twelve in total, so that brings the grand total to like 16, and considering that some of these museums are visit-able in like a few hours it might mean that fitting in 2-3 things in on my more “active” days is possible. 

Also before the final bell tolls I hope to sign up as a member to the Louvre and the Pompidu Centre. The cost of a years youth membership to the Louvre is only €15, definitely worth the cost if you ask me, especially seeing as this gives you the right to enter the museum via the priority queue, aka not queuing for 2 hours to get in and then another hour to get your ticket. The Pompidu Center one is slightly more expensive at €22 but this also gives you a 5% discount in the bookshop, so it basically pays for itself if you buy enough architecture books, as well as all the priority queue stuff. 

Seeing as today was the first day I had told myself I was going to start this mission I headed out to the worlds most renowned museum The Louvre, granted it was a little late by the time I had finished making some unexpected and impulse purchases at H&M, but none the less I was convinced that it was open until 10pm. After strolling leisurely into the entrance Pyramid my sense of satisfaction soon got a swift kick in the balls when I realised why there was no queue or security check.... the exhibition rooms due in fact close at 6pm, and it was now about 7.30. Ahh well just my tough luck. 

As I now know, the museum closes on a Tuesday and late night openings are Wednesday and Friday. Noted. 

Not in the least discouraged with with this setback I decided to visit my most favourite of museums, the Pompidu centre, which I know for sure is open until 10pm. While I have been to this museum hundreds of times before, I still enjoy it and to be honest didn’t want to get the month of museums started off with excuses and setbacks. 

It was a quick but enjoyable visit, here are some of the high lights. Specifically mentioning the special section on colour and decorating, which I particularly enjoyed.

The melty bicycle also gets a special mention .

As for tomorrow, I guess the Tomb of Napoleon seems like it might be with a visit.